On Oct 11, 3:41 pm, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Dan G wrote:

Crash-worthiness and energy absorbtion is ENTIRELY down to design, not

material.

The major glider manufacturers don't agree with this: take look at the
cockpit of a Schleicher glider, for example, and see how little of it is
carbon fiber. Aramids and glass fiber absorb energy better than carbon
fiber, and so a designer will use them if it is possible.

Didn't I say it's design, not material? :-) However Shleicher do
actually use carbon fibre reinforcements on at least some of their
cockpits - check their website:

http://www.alexander-schleicher.de/p...g29_main_e.htm

Lange might do too - they say they use "F1 materials" for the cockpit
of the Antares.

The underlying point is that you want the safety cell - whether car,
glider or even train cab - to be extremely strong to resist collapse,
with deformable parts elsewhere to absorb energy and hence lower peak
G on the occupant.


Dan